Float-valve



(No Model.)

W. SCOTT.

FLOAT VALVE.

No. 509,401. Patented Nov. 28, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

WVILLIAM SCOTT, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOAT-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,401, dated November.28, 1893.

Applicationfiled March 14, 1892. Serial No. 424,805. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SCOTT, of Medford, county of Middlesex, andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Float- Valves,of which the following descriptron, 1n connection with the accompanyingdraw ngs, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

My invention relates to a float valve such as used 1n water tanks tocontrol the supply p pe no as to maintain the liquid at the desiredlevel in the tank.

The invention consists in novel features of construction whereby thevalve is opened and closed promptly in response to the proper change inthe level of the liquid, instead of being moved gradually by the riseand fall of the float as is usually the case.

The valve apparatus is shown in this instance as comprising a main valvewhich controls the flow of liquid from the supply pipe into the tank andis itself actuated by the pressure of the liquid controlled by it, itsoperation being governed by a secondary or controlling valve that isoperated by the float. The said secondary valve is operated in properdirection to cause the main valve to open by a slight movement of thefloat but may be arranged so as not to be engaged by the float until thelatter descends to substantially the lowest level that it is intended topermit the liquid to reach, and when thus opened by the float thecontrolling valve is engaged by a detent which retains it in openposition irrespective of the movement of the float until the liquidreaches the highest level it is intended to have, when the float arm.engages said detent and causes it to disengage the controlling valvewhich is immediately closed by the pressure of the liquid or a spring orboth, and thus causes the main valve to close and the flow of liquid tocease, said closing being prompt and not being aifected by slightvibrations of the float upon the surface of the liquid.

Figure l is a side elevation of a float valve apparatus embodying thisinvention, showing the tank in section; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section ona larger scale, of the valve proper; Fig. 3 a transverse verticalsection on line at, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a detail to be referred to, and Fig.5 a sectional detail showing a modified construction of the secondary orcontrolling valve, and parts cooperating therewith.

The valve apparatus is shown in Fig. 1, as applied to a tank orreservoir A, and is represented as so adjusted that the tank will besubstantially emptied when drawn upon, and then immediately caused tofill again. The liquid to fill the tank is supplied under pressure bythe supply pipe 13 which terminates in the valve apparatus forming thesubject of this invention. The said supply pipe B is connected with avalve shell a which contains the delivery orifice b of the said supplypipe the end of which forms a valve seat at b inside of said chamber.The said valve seat is controlled by a main valve 0 connected with aflexible diaphragm c of considerably larger area than the area of theoutlet 1) said diaphragm c constituting one wall of the chamber whichhas a discharge passage d controlled by the secondary Valve 6. The spacein the valve chamber or around the outlet b is provided with a largeoutlet passage a shown in Fig. 1, as provided with an extension ofleading to near the bottom of the tank to enable the liquid to bedelivered into the tank without splashing. The valve 0 is provided witha small passage f connecting the space in the valve chamberaand thespace in the chamber 61 at the rearof the diaphragm c said passage beingshown in this instance as formed in a screw f which fastens the valve tothe diaphragm said passage terminating in the slot of the screw. Bythisconstruction a very convenient means for determining the efiective areaof this orifice is afforded, the said screw being of brass or malleablematerial and having a round head so that by striking the same with ahammer or die, as shown at f Fig. 4, the head maybe mashed in at thesides of the screw slot and over the end of the passage f so as to closethe same until only a minute passage is afforded. By thus partiallyclosing the passage by the compression of the screw head the liquid hasa less direct course through the passage f and any solid particles thatmay be carried by it will be deflected, and prevented from entering thepassage f so as to clog the same and thereby prevent the valve frommoving. This passage is directly in line with the outlet 19 and if theregulating device 6 is closed so that there is no outlet from thechamber d the liquid being delivered under pressure from the outlet 1)will pass through the passagefand produce a pressure in the chamber clover the entire rear surface of the diaphragm c which pressure issubstantially equal to that of the liquid issuing from the outlet 12 andacting on the face of the valve 0 but inasmuch as the valve chamber ahas a large and free outlet a the pressure on the front or valvecarrying side of the diaphragm 0 outside of the periphery of the valvewill be only very small. Thus under these conditions the diaphragm 0will be acted upon by an unbalanced pressure tending to force the valve0 up to its seat b so that said valve will thus close and will remainclosed as long as there is no outlet from the chamber d so that thepressure is maintained therein.

In order to cause the main valve 0 to open it is necessary therefore torelieve the pressure in the chamber (1 on the rear side of the diaphragmwhich is done by opening the valve 6 and thus permitting the contents ofthe chamber d to discharge through the opening 01 which is sufficientlylarge with relation to the effective area of the passage f through thediaphragm to substantially reduce the pressure in the chamber 01 whenthe said valve e is opened, so that the diaphragm c is then acted uponby the unbalanced pressure of the liquid in or issuing from the outlet19 and is thus kept open. The said controlling valve e is operated uponthe proper change in the level of the liquid in the tank A by the floatO and co-operating appliances, which will now be described. The saidvalve 6 is shown in Fig. 2, as seating against the pressure of theliquid in the chamber d and is acted upon by a spring e sufficientlystrong to overcome the said pressure so that the normal tendency of thesaid valve is to close and remain closed. The float O is connected withthe float arm h pivoted at 71 upon the casting in which the chamber 01is formed and the valve 6 works. The said arm h is connected with anactuating finger or projection h which in the construction shown inFigs. 2 and 3, works in a slot (2 in the valve 6 which is in thisconstruction substantially a slotted plug working in a cylindrical guide01 When the liquid is drawn ofi from the tank A the float O of coursedescends and when it arrives at the desired level the float arm arrivesat the position shown in full lines Fig. 2, the finger h then engagingthe valve 6 and the Weight of the float overcoming the spring 6 and thusopening the said valve as shown in said figure. This operation relievesthe pressure in the chamber cl and causes the main valve 0 to open asbefore described so that the tank begins to fill and the float to riseagain. If the valve were controlled only by the finger h it would almostimmediately close again thus causing the main valve to close and preventthe tank from filling. Such result is prevented in accordance with thisinvention by the detent-7c pivoted at 71: and provided with a shoulderthat engages the valve when opened by the finger 7L3 the said shoulder70 then dropping so as to engage the said valve and prevent it fromclosing when the finger 7L3 moves away as the float rises.

In order to cause the valve to close when the tank is filled or theliquid therein rises to the desired level, the said detent is providedwith an engaging surface 76 which when the float arm arrives at itshighest position as 1ndicated in dotted lines Fig. 2, is engaged by theactuating finger 71 thus causing the detent 7a to be moved from full todotted line position thereby releasing the valve 6 which is at onceclosed by the action of its sprin g e In the modification shown in Fig.5, the combination of parts and mode of operatlon are substantially thesame as has just been described, and the corresponding parts are markedwith the same reference letters, but the valve is represented as openinginto the chamber d and against the pressure of the liquid therein. Inother Words, its movement with relation to the position of the otherparts in opening and closingis the opposite to that of the valve 6represented 1n Fig. 2, and the float arm 77, is therefore pivoted at theopposite side of the valve, that IS, above instead of below the axis ofthe valve, and in order to conveniently operate the detent 7c the floatarm is provided with a second finger, instead of operating the detent bythe same finger that operates the valve. In other words, the twofunctions of the arm 71 Fig. 2, are performed by the two arms h It, inthe modified construction shown in Fig. 5.

It is sometimes desirable to change the position of the float and floatarm, with relation to the valve apparatus, as it may be necessary tomount the latter at various places on the tank. In order to effect thisadjustment, the said float arm 72 may be connected with the actuatingfinger h as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the said finger beingindependently pivoted on the same axis h and adj ustably connected withthe said float arm h. As shown in this instance the said float arm 15made in the form of an elbow lever having its arm 71 provided with aclamp screw h that may be locked at any desired point with relat-ion tothe actuating finger h which is extended across its pivot 72 over thearm h and provided with a curved slot h that receives the clamping screw7?. Thus by loosening the said clamping screw and shifting the positionof the float arm h relative to the actuating finger 72 the positions orlevels at which the float will cause the valve to open and close may bevaried as desired.

The invention is not limited to the specific details of construction andarrangement, shown, as it is obvious that the usual mechanicalequivalents or substitutes may be employed, such for example as a pistoninstead of the diaphragm, and the term diaphragm IIO is intended toinclude any equivalent device having similar areas acted upon bypressures in the relation herein shown and described for thus actingupon the diaphragm 0 I claim 1. A float valve apparatus comprising adelivery pipe, 2. main valve controlling the delivery pipe and operatedby the pressure therein, and a chamber to which pressure is admittedpast the main valve to react thereon and having an outlet, combined witha controlling valve for the said outlet to govern the application of.pressure to the said main valve, a detent for said controlling valve, afloat, and means interposed between the float and said controlling valveand detent to actuate the latter, substantially as described.

2. A float valve apparatus comprising a delivery pipe, a main valvecontrolling the delivery pipe and operated by the pressu re therein, anda chamber to which pressure is admitted past the main valve to reactthereon and having an outlet, combined with a controlling valve for thesaid outlet to govern the application of pressure to the said mainvalve, a detent for said controlling valve, an adjustable float, andmeans interposed between the float and said controlling valve and detentto actuate the latter, substantially as described.

3. A float valve apparatus comprising a delivery pipe, a main valve forcontrolling such pipe and operated by the pressure therein, a pressurechamber, a diaphragm dividing such chamber and supporting the mainvalve, an outlet in the chamber on the side of the diaphragm opposite tothat on which the main valve is arranged, and a contracted orconstricted passage through the diaphragm for the flow of pressure tothe outlet, combined with a controlling valve for the said outlet togovern the application of pressure to the said main valve, a detent forsaid controlling valve, a float, and means interposed between the floatand said controlling valve and detent to actuate the latter,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SCOTT. Witnesses:

J os. P. LIVERMORE, Ms. J. MALONEY.

